keith ehrlich / director

filed under design

Artist, Simon Beck does a lot of walking in the snow to create stunning, intricate pattern illustrations (see below). Another artist named Andres Amador does something quite similar using a rake to create his temporary patterns on beach sand.

After several years spent working long hours in the advertising industry, Mat Driscoll scratched an itch and followed his curiosity to learn to hand-craft wooden furniture. He moved to a small town in Maine and learned under master furniture makers. Shortly after, he returned to NYC where he opened up his own studio, Bellboy in Sunset Park, Brooklyn. He’s now making some of the most beautiful furniture I’ve laid eyes upon. More on his story on the Working Not Working: Free Range Blog.

My friends Tina and Ryan Essmaker are the folks behind a fantastic interview series that focuses on creativity - The Great Discontent. This week, they sat down with Sara Blake, an illustrator/designer that I’ve been a fan of for some time now. I always admire when talented people have a lot of candor about what they wrestle with to get to make their work. See more on Sara’s site and her blog.

Here are a few fascinating explorations of what went into making Stanley Kubrick’s masterpiece, The Shining. During the production of the film, Kubrick allowed his then 17 year old daughter, Vivian to shoot behind the scenes footage for a BBC piece on the film. For another perspective, here is analysis of how spatial awareness and set design in the film are used to psychologically influence the view - parts 1 and 2.

In 1974, Dominican immigrant Don Antonio Martinez started a small shop in New York City selling hand rolled cigars. Thirty-eight years later his son, Jesus, carries on the tradition. The shop combines craftsmanship with community, mixing equal parts work and play. It is the focus of the fourth installment in the Made by Hand series. Perhaps my favorite part of making this film is the way it expands the maker experience outward; it’s not just about the artifact, but about the people you make things with and for.

I doubt my wife will ever let me get a motorcycle, but I can keep on showing her pictures of beautiful machines and dream. I just discovered the handmade work of Beijing located Bandit 9. Pictured below is the bike called Nero.

Tina Roth Eisenberg aka Swissmiss is one of the most impressive and ambitious creative souls that I know. On top of that, she’s a wonderful person and extremely gracious. Recently, I had the pleasure of collaborating with Tina and her team to create a short promotional spot for Tattly.

Earlier this week, I released The Knife Maker, the second film in the Made by Hand series. This time we pointed our camera at writer turned knife maker Joel Bukiewicz of Cut Brooklyn. He talks about the human element of craft, and the potential for a skill to mature into an art. And in sharing his story, he alights on the real meaning of handmade — a movement whose riches are measured in people, not cash. I can’t express enough gratitude for the inspiration, candor and friendship I’ve received from Joel.

Thursday evening, we debuted our first film — on the Breuckelen Distilling Company — at Studiomates, the collaborative workspace in DUMBO, Brooklyn. Since so much of the inspiration behind Made by Hand has come from the creative community in Brooklyn, this was a special opportunity for us. We’re exceedingly grateful to the people of Studiomates — and the makers in Brooklyn and elsewhere who inspire us every day.

We’re pleased now to release our first film into the world; go and watch it now. Brad Estabrooke’s tale is one of knowing you could fail, and moving ahead anyway — perhaps the most important ethos of the handmade spirit. We’re thankful to Brad for also joining us last night and sharing his gin and company.

Our next film — on local knife maker Joel Bukiewicz of Cut Brooklyn — is in production now. Joel talks about finding himself at the intersection of the handmade and food movements (“I hit the jackpot,” he says) and more.

And as we head into the Fall, we’re talking to more makers in Brooklyn and nearby as we seek out subjects for subsequent films. Our hope is that you find these portraits as inspiring as we do.

File this under invaluable creative business tools. Designer, Jessica Hische has put together a useful posting for designers on how to put a price tag on their services. Much of the information can be applied to photographers, filmmakers and other creative professionals as well. Related - see also.